Limited Editions

The term \"special edition\" (\"deluxe edition\" and \"collector's edition\" are also used) implies a kind of an extraordinary, rare quality. more...

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Generally used as a marketing phrase, it is intended to give a product a feel of containing something new and previously unseen; that it is somehow better, unique or more desirable than a \"regular\" edition. The term is frequently used on DVD movies,records, often when the so-called \"special edition\" is the only version even available to purchase.

Extensive use of the term and similar ones as buzzwords by the marketing world has considerably diluted their value. Occasionally it is the case, parallel to commercial software programming, that the first releases are found to be sub-par, and that only in the sequential \"special editions\" have things been put in a satisfactory state. Some view this as a form of planned obsolescence or double-dipping.

Another related term, \"limited edition\", is a marketing phrase that generally carries a sense of urgency. Items marked thus are often (but not always) released for a shorter time and in lower quantity than the \"regular\" ones, often with a running number (\"13055 of 20000\") printed on the products to boost the rarity feel, as the company implies not to manufacture more (occasionally they have been known break the promise). Such versions generally do not offer much in way of actual new material, but are often packaged more complexly and attractively. Limited editions are often applied to paintings, especially in the United States, where high-quality prints of an original work are sold in a limited run; this method of art marketing was developed in 1962 by artist Ray Harm and Louisville, Kentucky businessman Wood Hannah.

The term \"limited edition\" is slightly redundant in the sense that even the plain word edition implies a finite number of articles in the pressing.

Interestingly, some computer game companies have decided to use the term \"limited version\" to market game demos — that have less levels and limited functionality compared to their full counterparts. While the term is admittedly correct as the content is severely limited, it is likely that this intentionally leads unwary people to draw a false \"limited edition\" association, to encourage purchase and increase sales.

Collectible (and disposable) popular culture widely employs all these terms in marketing, releasing subsequent, improved versions of movie DVDs, music, and video games. Companies widely use special editions and incremental improvements to sell the same products to consumers multiple times. Some would argue that they purposely leave items out in order to maintain a market in the future.

With the success of DVDs, special editions of movies themselves (instead of just special editions of movie DVDs) have also become fairly common. Sharing similarities with the concept of a director's cut (another long-suffering inflation-by-marketing term), these generally feature additional in-movie material. The material may be footage originally deleted from the final cut, or new digitally-created, interpolated content. Unlike true director's cuts, the directors may not have had part in such projects. (Of course, not even every director's cut is actually what the name implies.)

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